This application is a division of application Ser. No. 09/529,076. Application Ser. No. 09/529,076, originally filed on Apr. 6, 2000, as the national stage of PCT/GB00/00175, are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
The invention relates to electronic circuitry for data communication or transfer in conjunction with use of timing signals which are conveniently, indeed preferably, generally as in co-pending patent application Ser. No. 09/529,076 from which this application is divided.
Application Ser. No. GB00/04891 includes the broad concept and realisation of method and means for effectively integrating or synergistically combining distribution of repeating pulse or cyclic signals with active means for producing and maintaining those signals. A composite electromagnetic/semiconductor structure is facilitated that simultaneously generates and distributes timing signals, including a master clock. A suitable said signal path exhibits endless electromagnetic continuity affording signal phase inversion of an electromagnetic wave type signal, conveniently with path-associated regenerative means.
In inventively related rationale, time constant for repeating pulse or cyclic signals is related to and effectively defined by electrical length of said signal path in the signal distribution means. A travelling electromagnetic wave recirculating in endlessly electromagnetically continuous said signal path is preferred, when its traverse time of the signal path determines said time constant.
Moreover, this has capability for direct production of pulse-like cyclic signals inherently having fast rise and fall characteristics, i.e. already xe2x80x9csquarexe2x80x9d as produced, rather than requiring resort to xe2x80x9csquaringxe2x80x9d action on a basic inherently substantially sinusoidal signal as hitherto conventional. Indeed, such electrical length/signal traverse time-constant-defining rationale leads conveniently and advantageously to said electrical length or one said signal traverse effectively first defining one unipolar half-cycle signal excursion and next, or at next said signal traverse, effectively completing definition of a full bipolar cycle comprising two opposite half-cycle excursions. Said electrical length thus corresponds to 180-degrees for each of two successive pulse excursions for such full bipolar cycle.
Specifically, signals of a travelling wave nature use a said signal distribution path having a suitably propagating nature therefor, typically of endless transmission-line form, further with transposing effect and inverting action associated with re-circulations of desired signals.
Desired repeating cyclic signals involve re-circulatory travelling wave propagation means effectively affording rotation thereabout by a desired travelling wave and setting duration of each signal excursion, with active regenerative means that can be of switching and amplifying nature, conveniently bidirectional inverting amplifier, supplying energy requirements and setting relatively short rise and fall at ends of each signal excursion.
Suitable travelling wave propagation means with desired transposing effect relative to active inverting means is exemplified, as seen by the traversing travelling wave, by physical width twisted along its length to connect opposite sides to input and output of the inverting means, say as though a Moebius band or ribbon.
Planar implementation of travelling wave propagation means can have typical transmission-line form using spaced path-following conducting features, with aforesaid Moebius twist effect afforded by a mutually insulated cross-over of those spaced conducting features. An alternative would be use of a transmission-line inverting transformer in or associated with otherwise transmission-line form of the travelling propagation means.
Exemplary implementation uses spaced conductive features as trace formations each having substantially the same length and being transposed on the way between output and input of at least one inverter feature connected to, preferably between, those conductive traces. In practice, at least where the inverter feature is of extent less than about 1% along the conductive features, there will preferably be plural inverter features spaced along the conductive features or traces.
Preferred inverter means is of bidirectional nature, such as a pair of opposite inverters side-by-side or back-to-back; and such provision facilitates direct simultaneous production of similar or substantially identical anti-phase cyclic signal components.
Such timing signal provision has low power consumption that can effectively be limited to transmission-line and inverter action losses, i.e. to near-negligible topping-up via the inverter provision(s), and take-off to operational circuitry which is readily made, e.g. by way of light bidirectional connection paths of passive resistive and/or capacitive and/or inductive or transmission-line nature, or unidirectional say using diodes or inverters.
Also, at least in principle and absent fabrication imperfections, cyclic signal provision hereof has no innate preference for either direction or rotation of travelling wave propagation, though either may be predisposed or imposed by such as prescribed spacings or other differences between or within inverter means.
Practical pulse generators and oscillators as such include transmission-line structures using conductive metal and insulating dielectric layers in a manner compatible with IC production generally and particularly together with regenerative circuitry associated with the transmission-line as such, typically and conveniently formed below and connected by vias; required insulated cross-overs or spaced transmission-line transformer parts are likewise readily formed including such as via jump connections for the cross-overs; and resulting advantageously DC unstable interconnection of terminals of such as bidirectional inverters as the regenerative means; synchronous detection and bridge rectifier action of preferred bidirectional inverters; reinforcing sequential action of such bidirectional inverters including recycling electrical energy relative to supplies; etc.
Moreover, interconnection/intercoupling of timing signal generating and distribution circuitry is readily achieved, whether by direct connection or by sharing magnetic and/or electrical fields; and on a self-synchronising basis with extension to different frequencies particularly in odd-harmonic relationship.
Such intercoupling and coordinating of timing provisions within and between ICs can have particular relevance to the present invention in achieving transfer of data, including between circuitry parts that are not necessarily ICs, for which aspects and features arise later in this Description, and/or are as set out in independent and dependent Claims, wording of which is to be taken as incorporated here too.